Submarine-trap.



I. LUDLOW.

SUBMARINE TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED mm 18. 1917.

Pat-mm m. 4,191?

3 SHEETS-SHEET lm/VE/Wlm Jamel Ludoza l. LUDLOW.

SUBMARINE TRAP.

APPLICATION mzo JUNEYI8. m2.

3 SHEETS-SHiET 2.

WITNESSES l. LUDLOW.

SUBMARINE TRAP.

Armenian FILED WM 18. 1911.

'Patanted Dee. 4,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 T1135 if f l 7 IMI/E/VTOR Jamel Lud'ow WITNESSES A TTORIVEVS earnr rem.

ISRAEL minnow, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

, SUBMARINE-TRAPL anaemia.

To all whom z't mag concern .1 I

Be it knownthat I, IsR EnL nLow, a citiezen oi' the United States,, and aTBS IClGIIiJ of the city of New York, borough of Manhat- :tan, in the county and State of New York,

haveinvented anew and lmproved Submarine-.Trap,.of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among-the principal objects whichcthe :present invention hasinuvieware: to sink a submarine to depthswherethestatic pressure is greater than. the. resistanceoi' the submarine hull; to destroy a submarine by changingv the riding. angle thereof; to entangle a submarineand prevent the disengagement thereof prior to inflicting damage thereon, to recoverthe traps if the} same become} released accidentally; to optically locate an. invisible submarine; and to simplify thepconstruction, of the trap, employed for carrying-the above-stated obj ectsi into effect.

- Drawings.

Eigure is a {perspective viewoi a portion ofa trapcand supports therefor con.-

structedw and arranged in accordance with theipresentinventionv; V T

Fig. 21s a vertical SGGlLlOLh of, a.-,we1ght and gsupporting; buoy;- therefon constructed and arranged-in. accordanceTwith the present in vention;: v a i i i .Fig. 3. isa perspective view-ofaweight andbuoy support therefor constructed and arranged in accordance with a modified iorin oftheinvention r i 1 ig. tis a longitudinal section of abuoy for supporting a weight and net attached thereto, saidbuoybeingconstructed and arranged' in accordance ,with a modified form. r

of the invention y tervals byshort. supporting lines 11. The lines ll are connected'with heavy weights 12., Ill-the form of, the invention disclosed 11H Figs. Land-20f the drawings, each-line 11 is directly connected with an eye-bolt 13. The eye-bolt 13 is, bored to provide a housing; for asuspendingrod 14. Eachrod 14 has a-hook-15, which extends through a slot t1 16151 0 rest on ,a slit center, platel'f. The rod Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedD ec. a, ram.

Applieationfiled June 1 8, 1917. Serial No. 175,341.

14 has provided thereon a spiral flange 18,-

which engages a suitable slot section in the. tubular extension19 of the bolt 13.

The weight carried by each of the lines 11 is supported by a spring 20. They spring 20 permits a lengthwise movement of the rod 13 independentof the rod 14. The engagement between the rod; 14 and the tubular f the slot 16, when the weight 12 being unsupported sinks through the water carrying the net'lO with it.

It is evident thattheweights 12 and parts associated therewithare directly carried by the; rods 14, and hooks associated with each of the weights, Theplates 17 with which the various hooks 15 are engaged are centrally disposed a spider frame. The.

frame 24cprovides out}riggers 25, at the terminals whereof sea anchors. 26 of frustoconical shape arecarried Inthe form r of the invention disclosedin Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, said spider frame andanchors are supported on buoys 27. The buoys 27 in this form of the. invention arepreferably circular in form, providingahollow central openingjwherein the weight12 is housed.

In Fig 8 of the drawings, a. modified form of the invention is disclosed. The modification consists in providing a square or platform buoy 28, whereon a weighted member 29 is supported. The member 29.,is held. on the platform 28 by aguide railBOQ The rail 30 may have undercut side edges, as shown in said figure, or maybe rectangular. Ihe weighted member 29 is provided with supporting arms 31. The arms 31 have eyelets at the extremities thereof to which are secured the lines 32, whereby is-support ed the net 10. i

A further modification in this. form of the invention consists in connecting the sea anchors 26, with which it is provided, by means of the spider arms 33 one of which is preferably secured to: each corner ofthe float or buoy28. 4

In Figs. 4 and 5, afurther modification of the structure is disclosed. The modification herein shown consists principally in that the float or buoy provides two pontoons 34 disposed in paired and parallel relation.

A. frame 35 maintains the space relation of the pontoons 34. Between the pontoons ex- I grally formed with the weight 40. A suitable nick is provided in the pin 43 to receive a spring latch 45. The latch serves to normally maintain the pin 43 within the bearings of the lugs 42 and the arm 44. The end of the pin 43 is directly connected with the line 46, which supports the net 10. In this form of the invention, it will be noted that the line 11, which is directly connected with the weight, is normally slacked. It is the line 11 which directly connects the weight 40 and net' 10 to carry the latter down when the'weight is permitted to plunge.

Operation.

In all of the forms of the invention, it will be noted that the weights carried by the floats are permitted to plunge or sinkon the various floats, whichis-resisted by thesea anchors 26 connected therewith. It

will be noted'that when this pulling preswill be buoyed well to the rear of the submarine. In this position, the latches are 7 released by the pull above referred to, and

the weights are permitted to plunge downward "through the water. The combined weights supporting the net are sufiicient to overcome the buoyancy of the submarine, and operate to sink the same, wrapping the structure in the folds of the net.

The strain exerted on the net and by the net on the submarine, is such as to prevent the exit therefrom of a diver for clearing the submarine of its entanglement in, the net.

Further, it will be observed that the pull of the combined weights on the submarine and net would be such as to up-point the submarine, the major portion of theweight being well aft of the center of buoyancy of the submarine. The up-ending of the submarine in'this manner has a disastrous effect on the structure and cargo or ballast carried therebyf If the water in which the submarine is trapped be deep enough to carry it below that wherethe static pressure of the water is greater than the pressure of the air within the hull, the result would be that the hull of thesubmarine would be crushed by member; a plurality of weights operativelyattached to said member; aplurality of buoys for supporting said weights and member; and means operable through the medium of said member for detaching said weights from said buoys.-

2. A submarine trap comprising a net like member; a plurality of welghts opera j tively attached to said member; a plurality of buoys for supporting said weights and member; and means operable through the medium of sa1d member'for detachmg sa1d weights from said buoys, said means em bodylng a latch pm, and connections uniting the same and saidmember, said con- T nections being so arranged that the displacement of said member operates to pull said latch pin. W

'3. A submarine trap comprising -a ,net-

like member a plurality of sinking weights mounted on said member; means forfioa-ting said member and weights under normal conditions; and means forsuspendi the flotation of said weights and member.

4. A submarine trap comprising a netlike member submersible in the path of a submarine; means imparting to said member a weight suflicient to sink "the submarine; and means for floating said net-like member, the flotation of said me'ans being destructible when said member is engaged by the submarine; i

5. A submarine trap comprising a net-' like member submersible in-the path of a submarine; weights connected with the upper edge of said member, said weights being adapted to overload the flotation of the submarine; means for floating said weights and net-like member connected therewith; and means for releasing said member and weights and permitting the latter to sink when the member is engaged by a submarine, to be carried beyond the vertical plane in which said weights are disposed.

like membersubmersible in the path of a submarine; weights connectedwith the up-f per edge of sa1d member,-sa1d weights' being 6. A submarine'trap comprising a netsubmarine; means for floating said weights and member connected therewith; means for releasing said member and Weights and permitting the latter to sink when the mem her is engaged by a submarine, to be carried beyond the vertical plane in which said weights are disposed; and means connected with said weights for restraining the movement thereof through a floating medium.

7. A submarine trap comprising a netlike member submersible in the path of a submarine; weights connected with the upper edge of said member, said weights being adapted to overload the flotation of the submarine; means for floating said weights and member connected therewith; means for releasing said member and weights and permitting the latter to sink when the member is engaged by a submarine, to be carried beyond the Vertical plane in which said weights are disposed; and means connected with said weights for restraining the movement thereof through a floating medium, said means embodying sea anchors temporarily attached to said weights to be released therefrom when necessary strain is imparted to the net and weights attached thereto.

8. A submarine trap comprising a submersible net; a plurality of plunging weights operatively connected with said net at the upper edge thereof; a plurality of flotation buoys each operatively connected to support one of said weights; a releasable latch operatively connecting each of said weights and its respective buoy; means operatively connecting said latch and said net, whereby the horizontal displacement of said net relative to said buoys releases said latch; and sea'anchors, one connected with each of said buoys for restraining the lateral movement thereof.

' ISRAEL LUDLOW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

